The annual celebration of Pride Month is set to commence this weekend, featuring a host of events across the globe aimed at honoring LGBTQ+ culture and rights. Pride Month is a unique blend of festivity and advocacy, with participants celebrating progress while also addressing ongoing challenges. This year in the U.S., the focus includes vocalizing opposition to numerous policies perceived as restrictive to the transgender community and efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in several sectors.
Pride Month traces back to Gay Pride Week, which first took place in late June 1970, a year following a pivotal event in LGBTQ+ history—the police raid at New York’s Stonewall Inn. The incident at this gay bar became a flashpoint for the public protests that significantly accelerated the gay rights movement. That year, marches were organized in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, setting a precedent for future celebrations. Detailed plans for this year’s events include gatherings in numerous cities: Philadelphia hosts an event this weekend, New Orleans on June 14, Chicago on June 21-22, and New York on June 28-29. Global celebrations also spring up; notable ones include Tokyo on June 8, Toronto from June 27-29, Sao Paolo on June 22, and Paris on June 28.
Pride festivities aren’t confined to June. Notable events like World Pride in Washington, D.C., spanned from May to June 8, while London holds festivities in July, Rio de Janeiro in November, and Atlanta in October. In a historical nod, June was officially recognized as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in 1999 when former President Bill Clinton made the first presidential proclamation of its kind.
The current political climate under President Donald Trump marks a significant shift in the federal government’s stance towards transgender rights and DEI policies. Since his return to office, there has been an intensified effort to reverse various LGBTQ+ rights, focusing particularly on transgender individuals. These include suspending gender changes on passports, excluding transgender troops from the military, and restricting federal insurance coverage for gender-affirming care for minors. Furthermore, these policies aim to forbid transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports competitions. Many of these initiatives are facing legal challenges. Additionally, steps have been taken to eliminate references to what is termed “gender ideology” from government platforms, affecting representations of transgender individuals, including erasures from government sites dedicated to pivotal LGBTQ+ events like the Stonewall National Monument.
According to a recent poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, approximately half of adults in the U.S. approve of President Trump’s handling of transgender issues, though there is significant opposition, particularly regarding policies impacting young people.
Milwaukee’s PrideFest, slated for June 5-7, expects nearly 50,000 attendees under the theme “Celebrating the Power of Pride.” In response to Trump’s policies, one evening’s lineup will exclusively highlight transgender performers, marking the first time this approach has been taken. Another evening will feature only performers of color, underscoring the event’s commitment to diversity and representation. Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s event organizer, Jeremy Williams, anticipates a spirit of unity and community rather than heightened protest.
This year also holds a significant anniversary, as it marks ten years since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. This ruling is regarded as a crucial advancement for LGBTQ+ rights, and a recent survey by the Pew Research Center reflects that around two-thirds of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. believe it fostered greater acceptance of same-sex couples. Despite growing acceptance, challenges remain, with many LGBTQ+ individuals still not feeling fully acknowledged, particularly those who are nonbinary or transgender.
Corporate support for Pride events is fluctuating, with several traditional sponsors pulling back this year. Anheuser-Busch, notably, has withdrawn its sponsorship of PrideFest in St. Louis after decades of partnership, impacting the event’s budget significantly. NYC Pride and events in Kansas City have similarly faced financial challenges due to decreased corporate contributions from brands like PepsiCo and Nissan. Some view this trend as indicative of a larger shift away from corporate brand activism. Nevertheless, some companies continue to contribute, opting for a more discreet form of support.